Extract from The Sunday Times, Feb 24 2008

Rising cases of cheating wives: more men hiring PIs

men are not the only ones playing the cheating games on their spouses.

The number of wives having affairs has been rising over the last 5 years, lawyers and PLs told the Sunday times.

These married woman are usually career high-fliers in their 30s. Many travel often as part of their job, and usually get entangled with their bosses and colleagues.

More husbands are also divorcing their adulterous wives.

Lawyer Amolat Singh said that he used to get only 2 cases a year of husbands divorcing their cheating wives but last year, he saw 7 such cases.

Some husbands have resorted to installing spyware on their wive's computers to track their e-mail and messages. he said

Lawyer Koh Tien Hua noted: "Couples now spend alot of time apart and this increases the opportunities and inclinations for affairs."

Half of his clients seeking divorces are now men, when it was 40% previously.

Singapore saw an all-time high of 7,061 divorces in 2006 up from 6,909 in 2005 ad 6,388 in 2004.

LJ investigations & Consultancy Services said the number of men requesting checks on their wives has jumped 45%. Its director, Mr Lionel De Souza, said: "Today, men can cheat, so can the women."

Mr Vincent Tan, director of Commercial Investigations LLP, said: "A lot of woman travel or are posted overseas and may get involved with 3rd parties."

Each month, his firm takes on about 15 cases that involve matrimonial checks. Women used to be the one hiring PIs, but in the past 5 years, many men have asked for checks on their wives.

Mr Samuel Ng, executive consultant of Marine Parade Family Service Centre said men take a long time to "heal" when cheated on.

"It's a major tsunami to their self esteem and also pride." he said.

A mother leaving the family would also be a big blow to the children involved. He said: "If the mum was the main caregiver of the children, the would be greatly impacted."

Association of Woman for Action and Research president Constance Singam said current marriages are weakening because of "modern situation".

She added that the trend is not specific to Singapore but occurs in developed cities where woman are now financially independent.

"Both parties are working, are stressed out;they wan to work harder at the relationship but they are too tired to," she said.